Spielman confident in Ponder, but doesn't rule out top QBs

Vikings general manager Rick Spielman voiced a high level of confidence in Christian Ponder, but also didn't rule out the team's interest in the top two quarterbacks in this year's draft.

"I know we're very confident in Christian, but if one of those quarterbacks is too good to pass up, you also have to weigh that in too," Spielman said today during an interview with local reporters. "But we're very, very confident in what Christian Ponder brings. As we go through this process and our coaches come into this process and we put this thing together in April, I don't know where we'll be."

Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck is expected to be taking No. 1 overall by the Colts. Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III is a prime candidate to go No. 2 overall because the Rams are looking to trade out of that spot. The Vikings pick No. 3 overall, but aren't assuming anything about the top two QBs at this point.

"We'll be at their workouts, yeah," Spielman said. "We'll be doing full monty on [Luck] and RG3."

Spielman said the team will interview the two players during next week's scouting combine in Indianapolis, and could include them on the list of 30 top players they'll be invited to Winter Park before the draft.

"I will personally be at a lot of those workouts, and if I don't get to see them on their workout, I will make sure [offensive coordinator] Bill Musgrave and whoever our offensive coaches and [coach] Leslie [Frazier] are out there to meet and make sure to know them. You never know what happens on draft day, and I would rather be over-prepared than under-prepared."

A few other highlights from Spielman today:

He said two of the strongest positions in the draft will be receiver and cornerback. He also mentioned those two positions as two of the strongest in unrestricted free agency. And, obviously, those are two of the top needs the Vikings have.

Adrian Peterson, who had surgery in late December to repair a torn anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligament in his left knee, is splitting his rehab time between Houston and Winter Park. Spielman said Peterson's rehab, which is being supervised from Winter Park, has been going "Very good. We set up an offseason schedule for him so he’ll be going back and forth between Houston and here, but we’ve been very pleased with how he’s been rehabbing." Spielman said Peterson will be "extremely close" to being ready for the start of the regular season.